The hit on Hossa

For the second time this season the Blackhawks watched one of their best players knocked out of a game by shot to the head.
Atlanta's Colby Armstrong laid out Marian Hossa early in the third period of Saturday's game at the United Center, sending the Hawks winger to the dressing room for the rest of the night.
Was it a clean hit or not? Armstrong led with his shoulder, which is fine, but he caught Hossa on the chin.
The point here isn't clean or dirty, however, it's how much longer Hawks general manager Stan Bowman is going to let his best players be targets?
Maybe this isn't a problem that can be solved this season with the March 3 trade deadline so close, but next year the Hawks darn well better have someone tough enough and nasty enough to show other teams they better not be going after Hossa, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Duncan Keith.
Ben Eager is not the answer and Adam Burish is more of an agitator than a deterrent.
Hawks coach Joel Quenneville didn't have a problem with Armstrong's hit, or at least he told reporters he wanted to see the replay before making a judgment.
I asked Quenneville after the game about the hits this season on Toews and now Hossa and if he was tired of seeing his stars get drilled or if the hits were simply part of the game.
Toews missed six games with a concussion from Willie Mitchell's head shot in October.
"I think you see it throughout the league,” Quenneville said. “That’s part of (Armstrong’s) game and I think you need to recognize it when you on the ice against (him). I think that we’re pretty effective as far as sticking up and being aware of those types of plays. The one thing I like about our group is how well we stick together and fight for one another.”
Kris Versteeg and Jordan Hendry were good teammates and came to Hossa’s aid, but that’s not enough.

Comments ()

We are now using Facebook comments to offer a more inclusive, social and constructive discussion.
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked.
If a comment violates these standards or our or terms of service, click the X in the upper right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.

Between the Circles

Total Posts: 806

Tim Sassone, who was nominated for the Hockey Hall of Fame's Elmer Ferguson award in 2007, has covered the Blackhawks and the NHL since 1988 for the Daily Herald.

Tim grew up in the Chicago area and was a regular in the second balcony at the Chicago Stadium, which he still considers the greatest building for hockey.

He is a regular contributor to The Hockey News and still has a soft spot in his heart for former Hawks defenseman Dave Manson.